Some older stuff

Good to be back in the saddle

Wow it has been forever since I have been on here and even longer since I have picked up a paint brush, but my inspiration came this past week when I got back on a horse :) It was so amazing, there are no words to describe it..I took my first hunter/jumper lesson and was inspired to start painting again...Lexi has been riding a little herself and gets to go to a stable on Sundays, ride a cute little mare there and clean out stalls, brush and groom a few horses and get her equine fill for the week, so this is something so great that we can share together :) Can't wait to get downstairs to start painting again this weekend....Heading out to the Ridgefield Equestrian Center today to watch a horse show...There is such peace with this animal. They bring such joy to me and have my whole life...What a blessing to be able to be around them again....Ciao for now.
OOOOO, forgot, I am adding a bunch of old photos of some paintings that were commissions, sold pieces and a few I still have, so if interested in one email me at melinda.lutke@yahoo.com

The poor must paint.....

Although I haven't posted any new paintings, it doesn't mean I am not actually painting...This year for Christmas I decided to paint all of my presents for my nieces and nephews!!!!  So what do I do???? I make an executive decision to paint watercolor paintings for them....WHAT????  I have never painted in watercolors before so they are really an experiment for me in a new medium....Being on a tight budget( code for I am totally broke) brought me to this new enlightenment and honestly, I quite enjoy working with watercolors, although I have to say I am NO good at it...

I will post pictures of them as they progress.....

God Bless and goodnight

Waiting for my neighbor to come over and fix my plumbing......

NO seriously I am.....I know right...doesn't that sound sooo funny??  Well the night before me and Lexi were to leave last week to go to Colorado, my disposal clogged and caused major havoc in my life....With the help of Kelly and many texts, I took the plumbing underneath the sink apart,( oh and many Facebook friends chimed in to help as well) cleaned out the clogged disposal , but could NOT for the life of me put the plumbing back together before we left town,,,,,sooooooo I am waiting,,,literally for my neighbor to come fix my plumbing....OK so let's all get the laughter over with :)    and now on to a more serious note....
I just wanted to say a little something about being judgemental....I am saddened and disappointed when I feel like people are judging me...quite honestly I hate it....and I hate doing it...don't get me wrong, I am by no means perfect and have had my share of times where I can look my nose down at people...but I HATE when I do it and I try very very hard not to...but let's face it, we are all human and we ALL DO IT!!!!!!  No matter how hard you try, you do it...and not one of the ....what...3 people reading this hasn't done it....We are human...but it is not what God wants for us and from us!  As a Christian, I know better....I really do...as a human who sometimes doesn't want to listen to God,,,,I can't help myself....BUUUUUTTTTTTT, I get quickly reminded when someone is judging me how horrible it feels!!!!  NO I don't like when I feel someone is tipping their nose down at me,,,,and shame on them for shouting what a great Christian they are and then being just as judgmental as the next guy....so I would like to bring that thought into the Holidays....
As Christmas is approaching and we all make our plans for the Holidays,,,,let us please not forget what it is really all about....We are celebrating Christ's birth....We are NOT celebrating who has the nicest tree, or who gets the most presents....we are NOT celebrating whose house is decorated the best or who makes the most delicious holiday meal...and really, it ISN'T about family,,,,(Sorry mom) it is about celebrating something so wonderful that everything else fails in comparison...it is about Christ....and to be exclusionary(sp?) on this Holiday blows me out of the water...how can we not include out of town guests or non believers or non family members from our celebration and call ourselves Christians???  We should take every opportunity to INCLUDE them in our celebrations....invite out of town guests to our exclusive dinners and breakfasts...ask non family members who have nothing to do on Christmas Eve to celebrate with us....Isn't that what we do as Christians????  Shouldn't we include those who are left alone on this special day?? That is my question to everyone???   Ponder,,,,God bless and good night!!!!

2 steps away

Earlier on Facebook I posted a song...called Two steps away by Patti LaBelle....I find the words to this song so very interesting,,,and her intent just as interesting...WE all are 2 steps away from anything...Anything in our lives...

At one point this song was poignant for me because I truly was 2 steps from him...and I was suffering from "you" being my ex....I am learning to live without him and the life we shared and it not easy....and I do miss him at times...but guess what????  2 steps away can also be from really amazing things as well.....It can be 2 steps away from success, 2 steps away from love, 2 steps away from possibility!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Each of us has inside of us the ability for great things....I failed in my marriage, and I am learning to deal with that, but I AM successful in so many other ways in my life....Although my boss may disagree right now, I am successful in my job....I can take a step back and say other than the last couple of months, that I have achieved some success at the workplace...and that makes me happy,,,although I have soooo much more to achieve, I feel good about what I have done and where I can go with my work.....and it is the little things like that, that get me through my times of self doubt and incompleteness....that and God!!!!!!

I believe that we all have potential and that we are just 2 steps away from it!!!!!!!!!!    Potential is a positive thing.....and we can't get it if we are constantly put down and made to feel bad....so my goal is to try to help people I know to attain their potential by being a positive influence in their lives....

I may fall along the way, but I will try......God bless and have a great night...

Day After Thanksgiving

Ooooh Myyy,
Not that I really have anyone following me yet, but having to work my paying job after an evening of shoving turkey and potatoes and stuffing down my throat is a little bit of a stretch for me right now :)  I have over the last week though set up a nice little studio in my basement for me to continue painting...Which I desperately need to stay sane...which I guess is a relative term...This past year has been hard and I find myself stepping in unchartered waters with grief....Grief over the loss of Kevin, and Keith...Two completely different kind of losses but,,,,,,both gone none the less...You would have thought I would have learned my lesson...to make sure i tell everyone I love how much I love them whenever i can...and I didn't and still need to...So I have two plans starting today...........1) Paint at least 3 times a week.........2)Tell everyone I love how much I love them as often as I can...........

Getting back to work....FINALLY!

Wow, I can't tell you how good it feels to get back to painting, after a long and hard year personally..
I have aptly started a new blog with a new name..DogHairStudio...since dogs are a major part of my life, and usually find their way into my paints and brushes....

So welcome, sit back and and enjoy!!!!!!